TO SOUTH AFRICA

division of opinion on all important Imperial questions
is caused by disagreement as to the order in which those
benefits should be placed ? First Britain, then the Empire,
then the world, say some. Others hold that the Empire
unquestionably must have first consideration. Others
are emphatic that if the human race in general is put
first, the rest of the benefits will be added to us. Shall
we ever be unanimous on so fundamental a question ?

In one respect, the Prince's Wembley speech has
been reinforced by subsequent events. Aware of their
vastness and richness, he spoke of developing the
Empire's resources. But since that time, a new vista
of resources has been brought before our eyes. In a
recent essay, a Fellow of the Geological Society describes
our insignificant mining activities as being no more
than the scratching away of a little rust from the earth's
surface. He refers to the limitless quantity of mineral
wealth in the world and then makes the rather miraculous
calculation that of this immeasurable quantity, half is
contained within the boundaries of the British Empire.
Still, even if our minds cannot grasp what is meant by
halving an immeasurable quantity, we understand the
gist of the matter; especially when this authority, esti-
mating Africa's thickness to be twenty-three miles,
declares that "even the top mile contains sufficient
metallic ore to supply the world for many thousands of
years." He cites the wealth of "blue asbestos" and
chromium in British Africa, and points to Ontario and
Quebec where there are the largest of all the known
deposits of beryllium which can be worked on a com-
mercial scale. So convenient are the qualities of beryl-
lium that he calls it a wonder metal, and believes that
it will prove of inestimable value in the construction
of aircraft.

"The nation possessing its most abundant deposits,"
he writes, "may very easily find itself one day in virtual
control of the world's aitcraft." Beryllium, in fact, is
a godsend on the one hand, and, on the other, is likely

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